Life in My Tiny-ish Japanese Apartment: Tips and Tricks for Tiny Living in Tokyo

Discovering the charm of compact living and cross-cultural harmony

Photo by Sarah Dorweiler on Unsplash

Ever wondered what it’s really like living in a tiny Tokyo apartment? Curious about how to thrive when every square inch matters? As an American expat navigating an international marriage and life in Tokyo, I invite you to read on to learn more about the unique experience of tiny living in Tokyo.

Life in Tokyo: Compact Living Tips

Living in a compact space presents unique challenges. However, with the right perspective, these challenges can turn into opportunities.

1. Choosing the Right Apartment (Not all apartments are created equal , so there are a few things to keep in mind):

• Find an apartment that feels larger: not all apartments are created equal. This means not just the size, but the layout. A simple one-k, or a kitchen with a bedroom (as opposed to a “one room,” or studio), can feel spacious with the right layout. That was our first experience living together and it was a great little place! (You can find some apartment listings here or if you want to know more about layouts, read here).
• Consider where the light comes in (or doesn’t): mold is a constant issue in Japan, and having light come in makes all the difference. It also boosts your mood of course. It can also help save money on heating bills in the winter. It’s good to keep in mind whether the sun will hit your laundry or not — you may experience some sun bleaching for colors, but in shaded areas, your laundry just won’t dry.
• Consider the amenities: where is the kitchen located and what are its features? Does it have two full-size burners? Does it have a food-prep counter or place to put your dish rack? And what about the washing machine? Is it indoor or outdoor? And lastly, what about the bathroom? Is it a unit bath, or is it separated? A lot of apartments will have the toilet and shower together which can feel small and unpleasant for foreigners, but having a tiny toilet separated from a tiny bath can make your living space so much smaller.

2. Small Space Hacks: Selecting the Right Furniture & Storage

• Efficient Japanese furniture ideas: folding everything (small tables, beds, etc.) and things that can be packed away.
• Seasonal storage solutions: Japan has some rather severe seasonal variations, so it is important to maximize your living area as well as follow the movement of the seasons. For some creative storage solutions, there is a wide variety of affordable options. IKEA tends to be the closest to Western style, while Nitori is somewhere in between, and Muji is more Japanese.
• Find out What Your Essentials Are & Add Style Elements You Enjoy: there are a lot of cute boutique stores aside from the name-brand interior giants mentioned above, so have fun and get creative! (BONUS Design Tips: IKEA is closest to Western style, Nitori is somewhere in between and Muji is pretty Japanese*. For more boutique options, you can try Natural Kitchen, a fun and unique dollar store, Niko& for more quirky design elements, or A.Depeche for more sophisticated elements).

Our Apartment: Daily Life & Multicultural Living: how we found cross-cultural harmony in our home

Our daily life, like yours, is centered around what we need to do that day. One difference is that I do the laundry and vacuuming in the morning. Noise can be a big issue here as well, so we try to do the noisy things when everyone else does. Aside from the noise issues, keeping a small apartment clean by doing the chores little by little each day helps us keep up with the housework so we can relax and enjoy the space when we have time.

A note about our Tokyo micro apartment decor

We moved fairly recently, so our design aesthetic is still a bit unclear, but we try to integrate different American and Japanese elements into our home. For example, we put up my husband’s photographs (from our trip to the US) in areas without windows, which helps the room feel more spacious. Our apartment has a particularly Japanese design with wood door frames and sliding doors, so to balance this and warm up the atmosphere, we also included a red oriental rug and some colorful fruit towels from IKEA.

Another significant aspect for me was cookware — I opted for a cast-iron skillet, which is not popular in Japan. But, we don’t have an oven or a microwave, which are both very popular. We have a rice cooker, chopsticks, silverware, and Western dishware, as well as a huge coffee station (we’re also coffee roasters and you can read more about that here). All of our items are carefully stored away as neatly as possible for the best use of the space.

How to Make Your Decision: Assessing the Challenges & Advantages of Living in a Smaller Space

Challenges:

• thin walls, which means laundry and vacuuming are usually best done in the morning, and at night it’s better to keep things quiet.
• rooms can feel cramped with the wrong layout or design if you’re not used to it.

Advantages:

• Community: the locals are kind if you get to know them. We brought some souvenirs from our last city and the neighbors loved it, and told us to reach out if we had any trouble.
• Being able to enjoy a minimalist lifestyle. Instead of owning less, it’s about finding creative solutions to maximize the use of space and enjoy staying organized. This can mean stacking things vertically or enjoying your balcony more.
• More breathing room. When you have fewer things, you have less cleaning to do and get to enjoy the space and your free time, rather than the clutter.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — Leonardo da Vinci

Conclusion

Life in Japan often means thriving in small spaces, and in our cozy Tokyo home, we’ve discovered the art of organization and turning challenges into opportunities.

If you want to read more of my Tokyo expat experiences, you can follow me here or check out my Instagram for daily life updates.

And if you found these tips helpful or have your insights to share, let me know in the comments below!

*A Note on Japanese Design Influences & the Japanese Concept of Mu: it can be fun and helpful to change your perspective to a Japanese one. the concept of Mu is intentionally leaving something empty. This creates a lot of the Japanese minimalist Zen aesthetics that we are all used to seeing— the use of the space is to simply have space.